Ubiquitin receptors play redundant roles in the proteasomal degradation of the p53 repressor MDM2.

Much remains to be determined about the participation of ubiquitin receptors in proteasomal degradation and their potential as therapeutic targets. Suppression of the ubiquitin receptor S5A/PSMD4/hRpn10 alone stabilises p53/TP53 but not the key p53 repressor MDM2. Here, we observed S5A and the ubiquitin receptors ADRM1/PSMD16/hRpn13 and RAD23A and B functionally overlap in MDM2 degradation.

Suppression of mutant Kirsten-RAS (KRAS)-driven pancreatic carcinogenesis by dual-specificity MAP kinase phosphatases 5 and 6.

The cytoplasmic phosphatase DUSP6 and its nuclear counterpart DUSP5 are negative regulators of RAS/ERK signalling. Here we use deletion of either Dusp5 or Dusp6 to explore the roles of these phosphatases in a murine model of KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer. By 56-days, loss of either DUSP5 or DUSP6 causes a significant increase in KRAS-driven pancreatic hyperplasia.

The Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

We performed a small interfering RNA screen to identify targets for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) therapy in the ubiquitin/ubiquitin-like system. We provide evidence for selective anti-cSCC activity of knockdown of the E3 ubiquitin ligase MARCH4, the ATPase p97/VCP, the deubiquitinating enzyme USP8, the cullin-RING ligase (CRL) 4 substrate receptor CDT2/DTL, and components of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). Specifically attenuating CRL4 by CDT2 knockdown can be more potent in killing cSCC cells than targeting CRLs or CRL4s in general by RBX1 or DDB1 depletion.

Targeting the spliceosome for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma therapy: a role for c-MYC and wild-type p53 in determining the degree of tumour selectivity.

We show that suppression of the spliceosome has potential for the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The small-molecule inhibitors of the spliceosome at the most advanced stage of development target the splicing factor SF3B1/SF3b155. The majority of cSCC cell lines are more sensitive than normal skin cells to death induced by the SF3B1 inhibitor pladienolide B.

Preclinical comparison of proteasome and ubiquitin E1 enzyme inhibitors in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: the identification of mechanisms of differential sensitivity.

Proteasome inhibitors have distinct properties and the biochemical consequences of suppressing ubiquitin E1 enzymes and the proteasome differ. We compared the effects of the proteasome inhibitors bortezomib, ixazomib and carfilzomib and the ubiquitin E1 enzyme inhibitor MLN7243/TAK-243 on cell viability and cell death in normal keratinocytes and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) cell lines. The effects of both a pulse of treatment and more extended incubation were investigated.

Helium-oxygen reduces the production of carbon dioxide during weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Background: Prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation has a major impact on ICU bed occupancy and patient outcome, and has significant cost implications.There is evidence in patients around the period of extubation that helium-oxygen leads to a reduction in the work of breathing. Therefore breathing helium-oxygen during weaning may be a useful adjunct to facilitate weaning.

Targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system to activate wild-type p53 for cancer therapy.

Ubiquitination plays a key role in regulating the tumour suppressor p53. It targets p53 for degradation by the 26S proteasome. The ubiquitin pathway also regulates the activity and localisation of p53.

Suppression of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP5 causes the accumulation of unanchored polyubiquitin and the activation of p53.

Both p53 and its repressor Mdm2 are subject to ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. We show that knockdown of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP5 (isopeptidase T) results in an increase in the level and transcriptional activity of p53. Suppression of USP5 stabilizes p53, whereas it has little or no effect on the stability of Mdm2.

Elevated levels of oncogenic protein kinase Pim-1 induce the p53 pathway in cultured cells and correlate with increased Mdm2 in mantle cell lymphoma.

Mutation of the p53 gene is a common event during tumor pathogenesis. Other mechanisms, such as mdm2 amplification, provide alternative routes through which dysfunction of the p53 pathway is promoted. Here, we address the hypothesis that elevated expression of pim oncogenes might suppress p53 by regulating Mdm2.

The deubiquitinating enzyme USP2a regulates the p53 pathway by targeting Mdm2.

Mdm2 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that promotes its own ubiquitination and also ubiquitination of the p53 tumour suppressor. In a bacterial two-hybrid screen, using Mdm2 as bait, we identified an Mdm2-interacting peptide that bears sequence similarity to the deubiquitinating enzyme USP2a. We have established that full-length USP2a associates with Mdm2 in cells where it can deubiquitinate Mdm2 while demonstrating no deubiquitinating activity towards p53.

Lysine-63-linked ubiquitination is required for endolysosomal degradation of class I molecules.

MHC class I molecules display peptides from endogenous and viral proteins for immunosurveillance by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). The importance of the class I pathway is emphasised by the remarkable strategies employed by different viruses to downregulate surface class I and avoid CTL recognition. The K3 gene product from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a viral ubiquitin E3 ligase which ubiquitinates and degrades cell surface MHC class I molecules.

p53 isoforms can regulate p53 transcriptional activity.

The recently discovered p53-related genes, p73 and p63, express multiple splice variants and N-terminally truncated forms initiated from an alternative promoter in intron 3. To date, no alternative promoter and multiple splice variants have been described for the p53 gene. In this study, we show that p53 has a gene structure similar to the p73 and p63 genes.

p14 Arf promotes small ubiquitin-like modifier conjugation of Werners helicase.

Here we demonstrate a novel p53-independent interaction between the nucleolar tumor suppressors, p14 Arf and Werners helicase (WRN). Binding of p14 Arf to WRN is multivalent and resembles the binding of p14 Arf to Mdm2. Residues 2-14 and 82-101 of p14 Arf and residues in the central region and C terminus of WRN have particular importance for binding.

Regulation of p53 by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes UbcH5B/C in vivo.

p53 levels are regulated by ubiquitination and 26 S proteasome-mediated degradation. p53 is a substrate for the E3 ligase Mdm2, however, the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) involved in p53 ubiquitination in intact cells have not been defined previously. To investigate the E2 specificity of Mdm2 we carried out an in vitro screen using a panel of ubiquitin E2s.

Mdm2-mediated NEDD8 conjugation of p53 inhibits its transcriptional activity.

The only reported role for the conjugation of the NEDD8 ubiquitin-like molecule is control of the activity of SCF ubiquitin ligase complexes. Here, we show that the Mdm2 RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligase can also promote NEDD8 modification of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. Mdm2 is itself modified with NEDD8 with very similar characteristics to the autoubiquitination activity of Mdm2.

B-Myb overcomes a p107-mediated cell proliferation block by interacting with an N-terminal domain of p107.

B-Myb is a cell-cycle regulated transcription factor which is implicated in cell proliferation and has an essential role in early embryonic development. In this study we examined the functions of B-Myb required to overcome G1 arrest in Saos-2 cells induced by the retinoblastoma-related p107 protein. Our results demonstrated that this activity was independent of B-Myb transactivation function, but correlated with its capacity to form an in vivo complex with p107.